A computer program product according to one embodiment includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions area executable by a data processing system having at least one processor to cause the data processing system to apply, by the data processing system, a current to a lead of a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor for inducing joule heating of the lead or a heating layer, the level of joule heating being sufficient to anneal a magnetic layer of the sensor; and maintain, by the data processing system, the current at the level for an amount of time sufficient to anneal the sensor.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a data processing system having at least one processor to cause the data processing system to: apply, by the data processing system, a current to a lead of a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor for inducing joule heating of the lead or a heating layer, the level of joule heating being sufficient to anneal a magnetic layer of the sensor; and maintain, by the data processing system, the current at the level for an amount of time sufficient to anneal the sensor; and apply a second current to a second lead of the sensor, the second lead being positioned on an opposite side of a tunnel junction layer of the sensor as the lead, the second current reducing a voltage differential across the magnetic layer.
2. The computer program product as recited in claim 1 , wherein the lead is also a lead used for applying a sense current to the sensor.
3. The computer program product as recited in claim 1 , wherein the lead is not used for applying a sense current to the sensor.
4. The computer program product as recited in claim 1 , wherein the current does not pass through the magnetic layer.
5. The computer program product as recited in claim 1 , wherein no external magnetic field is applied to the sensor during application of the current.
6. The computer program product as recited in claim 1 , wherein the data processing system is a drive having the sensor installed therein.
7. The computer program product as recited in claim 6 , wherein the drive is a tape drive.
8. The computer program product as recited in claim 6 , wherein the drive is a hard disk drive.
9. A system, comprising: memory; a processor coupled to the memory; program instructions stored in the memory, the program instructions being executable by the processor to cause the processor to: apply, by the processor, a current to a lead of a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor for inducing joule heating of the lead or a heating layer, the level of joule heating being sufficient to anneal a magnetic layer of the sensor; and maintain, by the processor, the current at the level for an amount of time sufficient to anneal the sensor; and apply a second current to a second lead of the sensor, the second lead being positioned on an opposite side of a tunnel junction layer as the lead, the second current reducing a voltage differential across the magnetic layer.
10. The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the lead is also a lead used for applying a sense current to the sensor.
11. A system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the lead is not used for applying a sense current to the sensor.
12. A system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the current does not pass through the magnetic layer.
13. A system as recited in claim 9 , wherein no external magnetic field is applied to the sensor during application of the current.
14. A system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the current is applied in a drive having the sensor installed therein.
15. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the drive is a tape drive.
16. The system as recited in claim 14 , wherein the drive is a hard disk drive.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
February 11, 2016
January 8, 2019
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